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Eugene,OR

Does a stem split around day 40 mean that as your fruit grows that it is just going to keep splitting more and more until it splits into the cavity? On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being "it will always split all of the way" and 1 being "don't worry about it, it happens to all of the big ones" let me know what you think if the probability of the fruit making it to a weighoff.

8/25/2004 11:40:45 PM

Sequim, WA

5.....................................................................................................................In my experience stem splits either go deep fairly quickly, or stop. They may expand and go no deeper and you may develop more. The ones I have lost to this type of split though have all done it within a few days. Ones that don't progress any deeper after a week don't seem to worsen. This doesn't mean your out of the woods though as any break into the pumpkin flesh has potential to start rotting. Keep it dry and apply captan or sulfur if you are inclined to use fungicides.

8/26/2004 12:17:46 AM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

I have a large stem split on one of my pumpkins. Its been splitting slowly for the last two weeks. It got so deep (4") and wide I was afraid I'd lose it, so yesterday I cut the main vine after the pumpkin and cut back some of the leaves to slow the growth down. I will know in a couple days whether it will slow it down enough. It will be my local fair pumpkin and only has to last another 3 weeks. It is over 500#.

Phil

8/26/2004 6:45:44 AM

Western NY

50/50. i have 5 stem splits this year. one into the cavity so far.

8/26/2004 9:09:09 AM

Indiana

I have one thats still growing and isnt splitting any worse.
Steve

8/26/2004 9:44:46 AM

Ohio

Copper, I cut the main after my pumpkin when it slowed down. It picked up a great deal on growing, My thought on this was that I wanted all my energy to go to my pumpkin instead of everything past my pumpkin.
Brooks

8/26/2004 10:22:30 AM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

Brooks, I looked at it today and the split is worse. I don't think it has too many days left in it, so I cut off the main at the base and will leave 4-5 secondaries on it to keep it alive. It measured out today at 550# on day 44. Its a shame it couldn't last out the season so I could have seen how big it would have gotten. The seed is from my PB last season. O'well, I guess I'll have to focus my attention on the other two in my patch....Phil

8/26/2004 2:43:11 PM

Sweden

My experience is if the split go into the fruit, it´s over.. If the split is only into the steam there is 50/50.
/Lars

8/26/2004 3:02:22 PM

Ohio

Copper, sorry to hear that, Keep it packed and a fan on it, you think it will dry out? My pumpkin is at 66 days old today and has stopped growing for almost 2 weeks, still in good shape but it will be 93 days old come fair time, I hope yours and mine make it,lol

8/26/2004 6:31:29 PM